NSET and ADRRN together with Durham University are partnering in the UK Global Challenge Research Fund Project “Preparedness and planning for the mountain hazard and risk chain in Nepal. This project is funded by the UK Global Challenges Research Fund: Multi-hazards and Systemic Risks
About the research
Almost 1 billion people live in mountain landscapes worldwide. For many residents of these regions, living with the impacts of multiple hazards, such as monsoon rainfall, earthquakes and landslides, is a day-to-day reality. The short- and long-term impacts of those hazards are often exaggerated by systemic risks resulting from socio-political concerns, including fragmented government, rapid population change, and global geopolitical interests. As a result, these hazards have recurring and disproportionate impacts on some of the most vulnerable members of society.
In this project, NSET and ADRRN examine how to use local knowledge and new interdisciplinary science to inform better decision-making and reduce the impacts of multi-hazards in mountain countries. We focus on Nepal, which experiences a range of hazards resulting from earthquakes and monsoon rainfall and is undergoing complex social, political and economic changes as it moves to a federal system of government.
Our project is grounded within long-term community-based work with rural residents in Nepal, and reflects their articulations of the need to make better decisions to reduce the risks that they face. It also builds on experience of assessing and planning for earthquake and landslide risk with the Government of Nepal, the United Nations, and householders themselves.
Our research is designed to make a significant difference to the ways in which residents, government, and the international community take decisions to manage multi-hazards and systemic risks.
1. Think critically about the social, political, economic and environmental context within which disasters occur in Nepal;
2. Establish a new approach to national-scale strategic- planning for complex multi- hazard events, including earthquakes, monsoons and landslides;
3. Develop interdisciplinary science to anticipate, plan for, and communicate the range of hazards that occur during the annual monsoon; and
4. Find the best ways to utilise local knowledge and interdisciplinary science to inform how to prepare for and respond to multi-hazard disasters.
We bring together a team of Nepali and international researchers and practitioners from a range of disciplines, including geoscience, social science and the humanities. As a team, we will develop new fundamental data and evidence to underpin decision-making, and establish pathways for getting the best possible information to those who need it.
We will also support and develop a cohort of young researchers in Nepal who will help to shape disaster risk management in the future.
